Spring bolt mechanism



Aug 5, 1940- M. E. HOVER r-:r AL 2,210,080

SPRING BOLT MECHANISM `Filed March 24, 1939 Patented Aug. 6, 1940 UNITE-D STATES "fi'ivATEiyr` OFFICE SPRING A'Bom MEonANlsM Monte E. lHover land Wilhelm M.' Remarque,

Los Angeles County, C'alif.

Application Marenga-1939, .serial No. 263,898k

. 8 Claims'.

Our invention relates in general to spring bolt mechanisms, and more particularly to such mechanisms which may be Operated by hand, without the use of keys, or other auxiliary means.

It is an object of our invention to provide a` unlocked with a push of one finger, and which,

because of its sirnplicitx7 and compaetness, adapts itself to many and varied uses.

It is also an object of lour invention to provide such a spring bolt that may be manufactured in quantity and at a cost such as to permit its being sold at a low price.

These and other objects of our invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof, and from the drawing illustrating that form, in which:

Fig. l is a cross-sectional view of the bolt in locked position, as it may be applied to a window sash,

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of the bolt, showing the first `step. in unlocking it,y

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the bolt, showing the second step in unlocking it.`

y Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view Aofthe bolt'r in unlocked position, f

Fig. 5 is a iront View of thebolt as it appears installed, and j Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View taken at 6-6 inFig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Fig.,1 thereof, the numeral I0 indicates a cylindrical housing which is preferably of a gen- ,erally circular shape, partially closed at its rear end bya constriction Il having a centrally-disposed outwardly-extending .boss I2. VA' face plate I3, attached to the front end of the housing I0, partially closes that end and also provides a convenient means of fastening the mechanism to the member in which it is to be mounted. An aperture Ill,.in the faceplate .I3 Aandconce'ntrc rwith the vaxis of the housing 4B, permits the insertion of ones finger into the housing Ill to operate the bolt. A plunger I5 is slidably mounted within the housing I0 and projectsinto the boss I2 at all times, and beyond the latter when the bolt is in locking position. A xed collar I6, attached near the front end of the plungerv I5, is of approximately the same diameter as the inside di-A ameter of the housing I0, the collar andboss I2 cooperating to provide guiding means to hold the plunger co-axial with the housing at' all times.

At the front end of the plunger I5 is an enlar-ged head Il which is of a small enough diameter to pass through the opening I4 in the face plate .i3 Without binding or catching the operatoris ngernail, and is preferably provided 5 with a slightly concave outer face to aid in preventing a finger iromslipping oil of it. Between the fixed collar .IG and the plunger head I'i is located a floating collar I8, slidably mounted on the spindle portion ofthe plungerA I5 and urged 10 towards the head Il by larrelatively weak coil spring I9. The floating collarv yI8 is veryslightly .smallerthan the inside diameter of the housing Ill, and is cut away-or recessed on its rear face 'topermit the coil spring I9 to be completely en- 15 closed by it when the iioating collar is urged against the `fixed collar I6. A'second and more powerful coil spring 2E is located Within the rhousof, its length being determined by the amount the plunger i5r `is desired to project beyond the boss I2 when in locked position. A iat spring 23 is attached at the forward end of the housing .30

I0 and extends rearwardly therein, approximately the length of the offset 2I, itsv rear portion being bent downwardly. The spring 23 is located so :thatfitgrnay fit within the offset `24| and hence not Yinterfere with the movement of .the xed collar 35 ywhen the latter islmoved toward the rear oi the housing I0.. The rear or free end of the spring 23 is preferably turned upwardly slightly, and in that case, an aperture 22 is provided in the rear end of the offset 2| to receive this upturned .end when the spring is iiattened.

g In operation, assuming the plunger I5 is in .the position indicated in Fig. 4, the head I'I isv pushed Jinwardly, causing the lixed collar i6 to move `tothe, rear and lforce `the flat spring 23 up- 45 wardly intothe offset 2! and opening 22 (if provided). The floating collar I8, urged by the yspring I9, will remain in its normal position at the front -of the housing l0 during this` initial movement of the plunger I5; and when the fixed collar I 6 has passed the rear end of the flat spring 23, the latter snaps down and prevents vthe plunger I5, under the urging of the coiled spring 20, from returning tol its former position. At this point, the mechanism is in the position indicated in Fig.

1, with the plunger i5 extending part way into a lock opening 24, which may be provided with a indicated in Fig. 2 is reached, the finger is removed from the plunger head Il', and the plunger i5, under the urging of the spring 2li, moves toward the front of the housing l0, the floating collar i8 remaining in its position by reason of the spring 23 bearing against its side and pressing it against the opposite side of the housing, as shown in Fig. 3. As theiixed collar I6 moves forward, it meets the floating collar I8 and carries it forward, the latter preventing the spring 23 from springing down and stopping the xed collar. As soon as the floating collar i8 is carried past the fiat spring 23, the former, under the urging of the spring i9, immediately snaps forward to its position against the face plate i3 and the plunger l follows it to the position shown in Fig. 4, ready for another cycle of operations.

' While we have shown a preferred form of our invention as it may be applied to the bolting of windows, it will be apparent that the same mechanism may be applied with no modication or with slight modications to doors, switches, valves, etc., wherever, in fact, a simple and easilyoperated device for effecting this type of motion is desired. While we have illustrated and described a preferred form of our invention, we wish it to be understood that our invention is not to be limited to the speciiic form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown, or specifically covered by our claims.

We claim as our invention:

l.. A mechanism of the class described which includes: a housing; a plunger within said housing; a iixed collar on said plunger; spring means urging said collar forwardly in said housing; a head on the front end of said plunger; a iioating collar on said plunger between said fixed collar and said head; a second spring means urging said iloating collar toward said head; restraining means to prevent said iioating collar from passing out oi said housing; and a third spring means adapted to engage said fixed collar when it has been moved rearwardly and prevent said first spring means from moving said plunger forwardly.

2. A mechanism of the class described which includes: a housing; a conscription at the rear end of said housing; a centrally-disposed outwardly-extending boss on said constriction;A a plunger slidably mounted in said housing and adapted to extend through said boss; a fixed collar on said plunger; an enlarged head on the front end of said plunger; a floating collar slidably mounted on said plunger between said xed collar and said head; a spring urging said floating collar toward said head; a second spring urging said xed collar toward the forward end of said housing; an offset in one side of said housing extending from the front of said housing toward the rear of said-housing; a flat spring adapted to t in said offset and engage said fixed collar when said plunger has been moved to a rearward position and prevent said plunger from moving toward the front of said housing under the urging of said second spring; and a face plate attached to the front of said housing, having an aperture therein large enough to permit said plunger head to pass therethrough, but not large enough to permit said iioating collar to pass through.

3. A mechanism of the class described which includes: a housing; a plunger within said housing; means for holding said plunger in a position partially extended from said housing; and a floating collar on said plunger adapted to disengage said holding means to thereby release said plunger.

4. A mechanism of the class described which includes: a housing; a plunger within said housing; a collar fixed to said plunger; means adapted to engage said collar and hold it and said plunger in a position partially extended from said housing; and a floating collar on said plunger adapted to disengage said holding means from said xed collar to release said plunger.

5. A mechanism of the class described which includes: a housing; a plunger within said housing; a spring urging said plunger forward within said housing; means for holding said plunger in a position partially extended from said housing against the action of said spring; and a floating collar on said plunger adapted to disengage said holding means to thereby release said plunger.

6. A mechanism oi the class described which includes: a housing; a plunger within said housing; a collar iixed to said plunger; a spring urging said plunger forward within said housing; means adapted to engage said collar and hold it and said plunger from returning to normal position when said plunger is moved beyond a predetermined point in said housing against the action of said spring; and a floating collar o-n said plunger adapted to disengage said holding means from said collar.

7. A mechanism of the class described which includes: a housing; a plunger within said housing; means for holding said plunger in ,a position partially extended from said housing and slidable means within said housing operat d by movement of saidplunger to disengage said plunger holding means and thereby release said plunger.

8. A mechanism of the class described which includes: a housing; a plunger within said housing; acollar fixed to said plunger; means adapted to engage said collar and hold it and said plunger in a position partially extended from said housing; and slidable means within said housing operated by movement of said plunger to disengage said plunger holding means and thereby release said plunger. MONTE E. HOVER.

WILHELM M. REMARQUE. 

